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detoured off course, and he was on his own to find a tinsmith to repair the part. The wrong turn added an extra 2 miles to the route. The umpire who rode with him wrote “We finished at 7:18…Our correct time was 7 hours and fifty-three minutes. We covered a distance of 54.36 miles- averaging a little more than seven miles per hour”.

Of the three Benz vehicles, one collided with a hack (carriage for hire) that would not give it right of way and was eliminated from the race, another made little progress through the snow at the start of the race and withdrew, and the third was the only other vehicle to finish the race, at 8:53 pm, taking 24 minutes longer than the Duryea to complete the course.

This victory by a young man from Illinois over established European interests on the snowy streets of Chicago makes a great story. But the true significance of Duryea’s successful showing in the race lies in its influence on attitudes toward these “horseless carriages”. The Duryea “Chicago Car” was a true prototype for the automobiles that followed it and introduced many important mechanical design features. And the Race itself proved publicly that these vehicles were a match for horse-drawn carriages.

~~Jake & Ann Snyder

Fall Tune-Down and Chili Party Sunday, November 5, 2017: 11 am - 4 pm 82 King Drive - Streamwood, IL The weather was far from perfect but the chili was in great supply. A total of 16 cars were on hand to take part in this annual event — most only needing minor adjustments — surprisingly no oil changes this year. There were a few challenges but were successfully rectified. Thanks again to Dave ‘Cowboy’ Bralich for hosting this event in his garage. ~~David Bralich